LI ORBI DE MOZANA

At the beginning of the 15th century, during the Bellum Forojuliense between Austria and Venice, the Serenissima could no longer guarantee military security on Friulian soil. This encouraged the Hapsburg troops in Friuli, led by Count Cristoforo Frangipane, who occupied the main strongholds including Marano. He persisted in resisting Gerolamo Savorgnan, who with a few men and the inhabitants of Osoppo set himself up in the fortress on the hill. During the unsuccessful attacks on the fort, the imperial retaliation of the people of Muzzana was spent supporting the Venetian troops who lay siege to the lagoon fortress. The Count therefore pursued the tactic of terrorist intimidation, seizing the opportunity offered by the Marcheschi of Muzzana, who killed two imperial agents in a skirmish. It was retaliation. On March 1st, 193 men were captured and taken to the Osoppo Camp. During the night, 39 of them fled. Muzzana's villa was sacked and burnt. The children became slaves and the women attempted to leave the country. The next day, they were subjected to tremendous mutilations in order that they might be an example to the rebellious Friulians lurking on the hill. The older ones, 56 in total, had both eyes pulled out. Of the remaining 98, 20 of them were considered to be too young and were made into slaves. Four of them had the St. Andrew's cross carved onto both their cheeks, disfiguring them. For the remaining 74 prisoners, their right eye was removed and three fingers of their right hand were removed. All the eyes were laid in a ditch by the executioners to be seen by the terrified besiegers. The Serenissima later released the siege on the fort, on March 30th. According to the chronicles, some of those injured were transferred to Venice to be assisted and cared for. Doge Leonardo Loredan, that same year, issued a Ducal for a lifetime in their favor. Twenty of those wounded from Muzzana were led in front of pope Leo X, so that he could see what bestiality had been brought upon them by the imperialists, who denied the evidence. The pope, however, for political reasons, asked Venice to release the tyrant, Count Frangipane, who had been captured on June 5th, 1514 at San Gervasio and locked in Torricella in Venice.